For notes and disclaimers, please see the prologue.

Ch. 2

Kathryn Janeway was having a delicious dream. Chakotay's hands were smoothing scented oil across her back and down her legs, massaging liquid warmth into her muscles, leaving her skin tingling everywhere he touched. She breathed in the heavenly scent, not immediately recognizing it, but enjoying it regardless as his strong fingers kneaded her shoulders, arms, buttocks, thighs, and expertly manipulated her feet. She groaned deep in her throat and pushed into the touch as much as he would allow.

Without a word being spoken, his hands left her, and she regretted their absence immediately. The air moved with his departure, causing a cool breeze to caress her oil-soaked skin. She smiled into the pillow; he'd be back. Almost every massage he'd ever given her had resulted in one of two things. Either she fell asleep, or they progressed into even more pleasurable activities. Stretching against the sheets, she felt the softness of the sheets against all of her exposed skin, and realized that she was definitely not wearing anything. He'd better hurry back. It had been one thing to lie around in the nude early in their relationship, but with the possibility of Maddie running in to jump on the bed…Kathryn gasped, her eyes snapping open, her mind fully awake as she pushed herself up. Maddie!

The room around her spun at her sudden movement, and she had to clench her eyes shut again and take deep, gulping breaths. Even as she regained her equilibrium, her mind raced through her last memories. Two men in the house. No. Three. A third one had come in at the last minute. They'd had a hold of her. One had gripped her feet while the other had wrapped his arms around her from behind. Even as she'd bucked in their grasp, she'd seen Maddie duck into the kitchen. That's when the third man had appeared. He'd turned towards the kitchen. That was the last thing she remembered clearly. But if Maddie had made it to the kitchen…

Kathryn opened her eyes again, glancing down immediately to see her very exposed chest. Moving instinctively to cover herself as much as possible, she looked around and spied a robe on a chair near the bed she was lying on. She immediately grasped at it, grimacing in disgust as she put her arms through the sleeves. It was readily apparent that the massage oil she'd thought she was dreaming about was, in fact, real as her skin glimmered in the low light of the room. Her skin crawled, and she immediately tamped down on the thoughts of whose hands had been on her. She could worry about that later.

The robe barely reached her knees, but it was better than nothing. At least now she was on her feet. The room was larger than her bedroom had been on Voyager, with the bed she'd woken up on easily twice as large. The flooring beneath her feet was a smooth surface but with an oddly warm feeling to it. She could feel a distinctly slight vibration to it which made her automatically think she was on a ship. There were no view ports, but two different doors were opened off the room. Leaning to the side, she could see in the one directly in front of her enough to see a sink of some sort. Assuming it was a bathroom or refresher of some sort, she concentrated on the other door.

Even as she moved towards it, shadows moved across the light filtering in, and she stiffened in response, but no one came inside the room. Setting her chin, she walked with more confidence than she actually possessed towards the door. There were two people in the adjoining room that could only be described as a parlor, a man and a woman, but only the woman reacted immediately to her presence, although Kathryn knew they were both aware of her.

The woman had striking features and a predatory gaze that locked onto Kathryn as she emerged. Kathryn had never seen someone of her species. She was slighter in stature than Kes had been and had long hair that was such a dark blue color it could almost be black. She had some sort of small facial ridge that appeared as a small vertical line under each eye, but her skin was what immediately caught Kathryn's attention. It appeared iridescent in the low light, and Kathryn couldn't decide if it was a light blue or more of a cream color. She did notice that the girl was showing plenty of it as she wore only a halter-like top and pantaloons that hung low on her hips and were sheer except in a very strategic area.

"Ah, Admiral, you've decided to join us. Sheila thought you might be waking soon."

Kathryn's attention turned to the man that had stood up from one of the couches to greet her. Her eyes narrowed as she took in his rotund body with pasty skin and beady eyes. Her voice was almost a growl. "I remember you."

"Captain Janeway, there's someone I'd like you to meet."

Only her deep-rooted political training had kept her from groaning as Admiral Brislin's sugar coated voice interrupted the conversation she'd been attempting to have with Harry Kim's parents. This was the fifth function in as many days that she'd attended, but unlike all the other ones, there were actually people at this one that she wanted to talk to, like the Kims.

Unfortunately, it seemed like every admiral in Starfleet had someone that wanted to meet the famous captain of Voyager, and until she had every single one of her crewmembers taken care of, she couldn't afford to not be cordial. One never knew when you might need to call in a favor.

Pasting a false grin on her face and receiving a wink from Harry, she turned to greet the admiral. Throwing his arm around her shoulders like they were old friends although she'd only recently made his acquaintance, he guided her towards a rather portly looking male standing by himself off to the side.

"This is Milo Cyronius, the best purveyor of fine artifacts you'll ever meet in the Alpha Quadrant."

Kathryn had barely hidden her grimace as Milo's sweaty palm had grasped hers and then brought it to his lips. Solid black eyes that were too small for his face never met hers, but it didn't keep them from looking at the rest of her. As politely as she could, Kathryn tugged her hand away from his, resisting the urge to rub it against her pant leg.

"Mister Cyronius," she inclined her head in greeting but refused to say it was a pleasure to meet him. "What sort of artifacts do you deal in?"

"One of a kind pieces." Even as he spoke, he barely held her eye for more than a moment, his eyes focusing instead on her shoulders, her hands, her hips.

Usually a roving eye like his gave her the creeps as she felt she was being mentally undressed. Milo's gaze felt more calculating, as though he were cataloguing her. With a barely concealed glare at the admiral, Kathryn tried again to gain his attention. "My husband is interested in paleontology. Perhaps you and he could discuss…"

"You misunderstand Captain Janeway; I don't deal in dusty old pots and broken pieces of clay." His eyes had met hers and held them for the first time when she'd stressed the word 'husband', and now he actually seemed affronted at her thinking of him as a paleontologist. "I deal only in the most unique works of art. Specimens of beauty that are so singular men are willing to pay obscene amounts of money to possess them."

"Forgive me, I…misunderstood," she said, bristling at the man's nature and wanting nothing more than to depart his company. Catching sight of Owen, she found her perfect avenue of escape. "If you'll excuse me, I see Admiral Paris, and I'd like to speak with him before he leaves for the Beta Quadrant tomorrow."

Kathryn walked away, not caring whether she offended the pompous man or not. The last thing she heard exchanged between the two men before the crowded room swallowed their conversation was Admiral Brislin boasting about knowing her. "I told you, didn't I?"

She'd met a lot of people in those first few weeks after arriving home. Very few stood out in her mind as people she'd remember, but Milo Cyronius had been one of the few. And not for a good reason. She repressed a shudder at the thought that it had been his hands she'd felt massaging her.

"What is the meaning of this?" she demanded.

"Kathryn, my dear," he paused. "May I call you, Kathryn? Won't you join us? I'm sure you're feeling a little put out at the moment, but we'll get that all cleared up momentarily."

He completely ignored her negative reaction to using her name, and she was not overly surprised when he sat back down with his back to her, forcing her to join him if she wanted to continue the conversation. Keeping an eye on the woman, Kathryn slowly circled the couch. She considered sitting on the arm of the couch just so he would have to look up at her, but the thought of the robe accidentally riding any higher on her thigh made her take the seat across from him.

"I demand to know why you've brought me here."

Milo chuckled. "I have missed dealing with Terran women. It's been too long." He turned his attention towards the woman still standing near his shoulder. "They really are direct and to the point. Much less complicated than our usual alien royalty, wouldn't you agree?" Receiving the slightest of nods from his companion, Milo turned his attention back to Janeway. "I must apologize, Kathryn; Sheila is not fond of idle conversation. Why, not too long ago, we had a young male on board that was half Bolian and half Andorian. He had the most amazing blue skin but without those silly antennae or facial bifurcation. Unfortunately, he did have the Bolian inclination to talk…a lot."

For the first time, Kathryn saw a flicker of emotion cross the woman's face. Irritation. Having been cornered by Chell on a single occasion in the mess hall after Neelix's departure, Kathryn could sympathize. But she wasn't exactly in an empathetic mood. "I'm sorry, but what does any of that have to do with me?"

Milo looked taken aback at being interrupted. "Do you not realize, Admiral, how rare it is to find a species compatible with Bolians? That young man was literally one of a kind. Although I'm sure the people that acquired him from me have by now removed his vocal chords."

Emotion once again flickered across Sheila's face as she and Milo seemed to share a private joke.

"What do you mean 'acquired'?" Kathryn asked, her mind beginning to form the first inclination of the real threat she was facing.

He leaned back against the cushions of the couch. The irreverent manner of a few minutes previous was now gone. "I wasn't exaggerating, Admiral, when I said I deal only in the most unique works of art. Beautiful specimens that men and women both covet, and are willing to pay top price to own. The price that young Bolian half-breed fetched paid for half this ship."

Kathryn felt disgust rising in her throat. "You sell people?"

"The oldest commodity in the galaxy."

"And you intend to sell me?"

"To the highest bidder."

Feeling enraged at the very idea, Kathryn had barely shifted her bodyweight, intending to stand in indignation when intense pain tore through her collarbone and neck, sending piercing bolts of agony all the way down to her toes and numbing her extremities. She collapsed back onto the couch, sinking mercifully into the cushions and away from the pressure that had come from above her head. Wrenching her eyes upwards, she saw Sheila standing over her. She slowly withdrew her hand away from the nerve cluster in Kathryn's shoulder, letting her fingers graze the admiral's chin as she pulled away. Kathryn had never even seen the small woman approach her.

"I wouldn't underestimate Sheila if I were you Admiral." Milo's voice drew her attention, and Kathryn had to blink back tears in order to see him properly. "She may be slight in stature, but she is quite…formidable."

Milo and Kathryn both watched as Sheila slowly stepped back until she was by his side again. She gave Kathryn a small knowing grin before her features once again went blank.

"Another thing you should probably know, Kathryn: Sheila has been doing this sort of thing for longer than either you or I have even been alive. And while we have no desire to physically harm you as that would be bad for business, you should know that I have never met someone more capable of causing pain without leaving a single mark than this woman." He briefly touched Sheila's arm. "Her knowledge is impressive."

"Yes, I can see that," Kathryn said, resisting the urge to roll her shoulders in an effort to release some of the burning pain that seemed to be trapped in a ball beneath her skin where the alien woman had touched her. Her hands tingled as the numbness slowly began to wear off. A Vulcan nerve pinch was more comfortable than that had been; at least it knocked you unconscious.

"Well." Milo clapped his hands together. "Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, we can get down to business. Since you are only human, you would normally not be worth my efforts. However, the heroism and accolades you have managed to accumulate since your return from exile, not to mention your natural beauty and fire, made you the perfect selection to be my piece-de-resistance for my final curtain call."

"I beg your pardon."

"I'm retiring, Kathryn, but before I go, I'm securing my financial affairs enough to last me five life times. Very soon, the most exclusive auction in the quadrant will be held. Only preferred clientele with the most distinguishing tastes will be invited. Bidding will start in the stratosphere and go up from there when they see what I have to offer." He stood from the couch, clearly enjoying telling her about his pursuits as he walked over to a small bar located in the corner of the room. Sheila's eyes never left Kathryn as Milo pontificated. "No other place has ever before offered a selection quite like mine. A Koropian princess. A Second Daughter of Myrmidon. A Renavi Duke. I have even acquired one of the witches of Dathomir."

"And then, to top it all off." He returned to the couches, carrying a beautiful tray bearing an intricately patterned serving set. Pouring what Kathryn assumed was coffee into one of the small delicate cups, he pushed it across the table towards her. "There's you." He looked her over again as he sipped his drink. "Although, we will have to do some work to get you ready in time."

Kathryn was glad that, despite her longing for the beverage in front of her, she hadn't drunk any as she was sure she would've just choked on it. "Get me ready?"

Milo continued assessing her. "Don't worry, Kathryn, it'll be like a trip to Risa for you. We'll get some bounce and shine back in that hair of yours. Tone up those less than firm muscles. And your skin. I know that space travel is naturally hard on the human epidermis, but what did you do out there for seven years? Bathe in warp coolant?"

Kathryn couldn't believe it. She thought she'd faced just about everything the universe could throw at her. But this man's complete nonchalant disregard of her and the basic tenants of personal rights was infuriating. The smug smile on Sheila's face didn't help matters.

Milo ignored her as he continued to review his mental checklist of what he felt needed to be done. "What about her eyes and her skin tone? Think we can fix those in time?" He received a confident nod from Sheila. "I knew I could count on you. You always do work wonders."

Kathryn jumped at Sheila's singular moment of inattention and got to her feet. She heard a quiet snarl when the smaller woman rushed at her, and she struck out with the base of her palm, her fingers curled as she attempted to land the open hand punch. The nymph was simply too fast, and while Kathryn felt her palm land a glancing blow, she knew it wasn't going to be enough. She felt the smaller woman's strength as her arm was wrenched up and into her back, the force of the move pushing Kathryn forward until she was pinned down on the low surface of the coffee table. Not wanting to give up so easily, Kathryn flailed out with her free arm, grasping for the serving set that had been on the table, wanting to find anything that she could use to try and defend herself. She found nothing, and her free hand soon joined her other in a strained position held high up on her back.

"You're good Janeway," Sheila leaned over her from behind. Her voice rasped like rocks scraping against each other. "That's the closest anyone has come to tagging me in fifty years." She gave a quick twist to Janeway's wrist, causing her to cry out at the sudden pain as her thumb almost touched her arm. Sheila's breath was hot against the side of her face. "You'll pay for that."

"Now, now, ladies," Milo scolded, having never moved from the couch. He leaned down and picked up the fallen tea set from the floor. "You could have broken this."

"You can make all the plans you want," Janeway grunted, feeling Sheila's knee dig into the small of her back. "But they're…never…going to happen."

"Ease up, Sheila," Milo said, an amused tone to his voice. "I think the Admiral has something she wants to say." The pressure on Kathryn's arms and back eased, but she was kept pinned to the table. Milo leaned down so his face was level with hers. "Now, what is it you were saying?"

"You need my cooperation for this to work," Janeway managed to force out, the skin of her cheek moving against the table as she spoke. "And I can assure you, that will never happen."

Milo gestured with his hand, and Sheila released Kathryn completely, backing away from her. He watched as the admiral slowly sat up and found himself impressed with the glare she leveled at both of them despite the mussed hair and rumpled robe. He smiled at her. "Oh, I think you'll cooperate."

Ignoring the instinct to massage away the stinging in her wrist, Kathryn looked between the two of them. Sheila had relaxed again, leaning casually against the arm of the couch. That more than Milo's confident assertion worried her. They had a trump card. "And why would I do that?"

"Because we have your daughter."

A little shout out to the world of Star Wars included in this chapter. ;)